Follow one real request
Trace an enquiry, document or order from arrival to completion. Ask the people involved where they repeat information, wait for decisions or chase progress.
Record a useful baseline
Capture the current handling time, common errors and frequency. Be clear about what was measured and what remains an estimate.
Choose a bounded improvement
Start with a workflow that has an owner, usable information and a recognisable outcome. Assess whether an existing tool can solve it before commissioning a new application.
Keep people in the process
Identify exceptions and decisions that need judgement. Give staff a way to review, correct and escalate the automation’s output.
Measure the whole result
Review adoption, time spent, mistakes, running costs and support effort. Use that evidence to decide whether to improve, expand or stop the pilot.